Fluid-pressure generator for turbines.



A. DIX.

FLUID PRESSURE GENERATOR FOR TURBINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22.1911.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

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amnion nrx, or satire MARIA, canrromna.

FLUID-PRESSURE GENERATOR FOR TURBINES.

Sp'ecificationof Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Application filed October 22, 191?. Serial No. 197,786.

To all whom'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR Dix, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Maria, in the county of Santa Barbara and State of California, have invented a new anduseful Fluid-Pressure Generator for.

' Turbines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fluid pressure generator and partlcularly pertains to an apparatus for producing pressure for operating turbines and the like It is the object of this invention to provide a fluid pressure generator by means of which steam under pressure may be rapidlyformed without the use of boilers and delivered continuously as formed to a turbine or other propulsion mechanism whereby the pressure .may be utilized to perform work.

- Another object is to'provide' a simple flash means for generating steam embodying a construction whereby a thin cone-shaped film of water will be projected with a corre'-- spondingly shaped intensely hot flame into a pressure chamber in. such manner that the flame will instantly convert a major portion of the water into steam.

Another object is to provide means for maintaining the combustion of a fuel oil by an admixture of air therewith within steam generating chamber.

A further object isto provide a fluid pressure producing apparatus whlch is simple in construction and operation and which will eflect the continuous generation of high fluid pressure with'an economical consumption of fuel.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated in the 340001311 panying drawings, in which:

. Flgure 11s a view in vertical section and elevation of the fluid pressure forming 'apparatus.

Fig. 2: is an enlarged section as seen on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,. showing the arrangement, of the oil, air and water conduits.-

Fig. 3 is a detail section as seen on theline 33 of Fig. 1, shoWlng the construe-- tion of the burner nozzle.

More specifically 5 indicatesa pressure chamber which is here shown as formed of front and rear frusto-conical casings 6 and 7 connected together at their base to provide zhe chamber with an enlarged central porion converging toward ends. The outer threaded therein end ofthechamber 5 has a discharge openmg whlch connects with a nozzle or ejector pipe 8 leading to the turbine or other device to which pressure generated in the chamber is to be delivered. The rear end of the chamber has an inlet opening connecting with a water feed cylinder 9 having a divergent .or tapered throat 10 at its intersection with the chamber; the inner wall of the throat being formed in continuation of the in-' clined inner wall of the casing 7. A water supply pipe 11 connects with the rear portion of the chamber and leads from any suitable source of supply, preferabl from a water jacket. employed for cooling purposes.

Extending axially of the cylinder 9 is an air supply tube 12 having a divergent ,orcone shaped end 13 the outer face of which conforms to the inner face'of the throat 10 and is spaced therefrom. The end 13 forms a spreader for directing water from the cylE inder into the chamberin a cone-shaped film and directing it along the inner. face of the chamber walls tending to cool the latter. The air tube is preferably mounted for lonis effected by threading the tube where it passes through the end wall of the cylinder as indicated at letso thatby turning the tube it may be advanced or retracted. The

gitudinal adjustment so that the area ofthespace between the spreader and throat may -be regulated to vary the thiclmess of thestream projected into the chamber and this outer end of the tube projects a suitable distance from the cylinder and connects through'a union 15 wlth a hollow cap 16 connecting with an air supply pipe 17 leading from a compressor by which air under pressure may be delivered to the tube.

Extending through-the end of the cap and or longitudinal ,adjustment-is an oil feed nozzle 18 connected by a turning the stem to advance or retract the cone 21. I

An electric conductor 24 passes through the stem and connects 'with a spark terminal 25 on the cone insulated therefrom and spaced from. spark points 26 grounded on the cone, thus providing an electric ignition device.

Suitable valves 26, 27 and 28 may be provided to regulate the flow of liquids through the pipes 11, 17 and 20, and automatic governors, not shown, may be employed if desired.

In the operation of the invention water is delivered under pressure from the cylinder 9 through the throat 10 into the chamber 5 in a thin cone-shaped film; the tube 12 being adjusted to dispose the spreader 13 in such relation to the divergent walls of the throat 10 as to form the water film of a desired thickness. Air is delivered under pressure through the tube 12' into the apex of the water cone, and fluid fuel is discharged from the nozzle 18 into the body of air at a point within the spreader 13 which fuel is spread by the action of the cone 2l.into a cone-shaped spray which is projected into the chamber coincident and substantially concentric with the water film. The fluid fuel being finely atomized is thoroughly intermingled with the air at the mouth of the air supply tube forming a combustible mixture which is ignited by directing an electric current through the spark terminals 25 and 26. i The fluid fuel supply being continuous, a cone-shaped flame will be projected interiorly of the cone-shaped Water film thus subjecting the water to the direct action of the flames and converting,

the water into steam. The steam accumulates under pressure in the generating chamber and is discharged through the nozzle 8 to a turbine or other propulsion mechanism.

The air discharged through the air supply tube is heated which supplies heat whereby the thin walls of the nozzle 18 are warmed to heat the oil therein to render it more volatile and facilitate its vaporization.

By means of the several adjustments the relative volumes of water, air and fluid fuel may be regulated to obtain a substantially uniform generation of steam.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it is manifest that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Furthermore, while the action and operation of the apparatus has been set forth as applied to steam, it is obvious that the character of gaseous mixture formed in the combustion chamber may be varied according to the relative adjustment of the water, air and fuel oil regulating valves and ad ustments. For example, the oil may be delivered in such proportions to the air as to form a large volume of gas, only a minor proportion of which will be burned and which. gas with the products of combustion will pass under pressure from the nozzle, and directed to a gas turbine. then act largely as a cooling medium to prevent excessive heating of the parts, and at the same time will afford a. supply of steam.

I claim:

1. In a fluid pressure generator, a generating chamber, means for delivering Water thereto in a cone-shaped film, means for de livering air into the chamber through the apex of the Water film, and means for discharging fluid fuel in a cone-shaped spray through the apex of the water film.

The water will generating chamber having an inlet-and an outlet opening, means for delivering Water, air and fluid fuel coincidently into said chamber through the inlet opening, and means for spreading the water, air and fluid fuel in substantially concentric coneshaped arrangement.

3. In a fluid fuel pressure generator, a generating chamber having an inlet and an outlet opening, means for delivering water, air and fluid fuel coincidently into said chamber through the inlet opening, means for spreading the Water, air and fluidfuel in substantially concentric cone-shaped arrangement, and means for regulating the volume of the water and fluid fuel at the spreading point.

4. In a fluid pressure generator, a generating chamber having an outlet and an inlet opening, a water feed cylinder connecting with the inlet opening, air supply tube leading. to the chamber through said water cylinder and a fluid fuel nozzle projecting through said air tube.

5. In a fluid pressure generator, a generating chamber having an outlet and an inlet opening, a water feed cylinder connecting with the inlet opening, an air supply tube leadig to the chamber through said water cylinder, a fluid fuel nozzle projecting through said air tube, and means for adjusting said fuel nozzle longitudinally in said tube.

7. In a fluid pressure generator, a generating chamber having an outlet and an inlet opening, a water feed cylinder connectingwith the'inlet opening, an air supply tube leading to the chamber through said water cylinder, means on said air supply tube for spreading water discharged from the cylinder into the chamber, and a fluid fuel nozzle projecting through said air tube.

8. In a fluid pressure generator, a generating chamber having an outlet and an inlet opening, a Water feed cylinder connecting with the inlet opening, an air supply tube leading to the chamber through said water cylinder, means on said air supply tube for spreading water discharged from the cylinder into the chamber in a cone-shaped film, means for adjusting said tube longitudinally to vary the thickness of the water film, and a fluid fuel nozzle projecting through said air tube.

9. In a fluid pressure generator, a generating chamber having an enlarged central portion tapering to inlet and discharge openings at its extremities, a water feed cylinder connecting With the inlet opening having an outwardly flared throat conforming to the tapered inlet Wall of the chamber, an air supply tube opening to the chamber through the water cylinder, a cone-shaped spreader on said tube arranged in the tapered throat, a fluid fuel supply nozzle arranged to discharge into the chamber through said spreader and means on said nozzle for spreading the fluid fuel ejected therefrom.

10. In a fluid pressure generator, a generating chamber having an enlarged central portion tapering to inlet and discharge openings at its'extremities, a water feed cylinder connecting with the inlet opening having an outwardly flared throat conforming to the tapered inlet wall of the chamber, an air supply tube opening to the chamber through the water cylinder, a cone-shaped spreader on said tube arranged in the tapered throat, a fluid fuel supply nozzle arranged to discharge into the chamber through said spreader, means on said nozzle for spreading the fluid fuel ejected therefrom, means for adjusting the Water spreader and means for adjusting the fluid fuel spreader.

11. In a fluid pressure generator, a generating chamber having an outlet and an inlet opening, a water feed cylinder connect-- ing with the inlet opening, an air supply tube leading to the chamber through said water cylinder, a fluid fuel nozzle projecting through said air tube, and adjustable means 'for spraying fluid fuel discharged from said nozzle.

12. In a fluid pressure generator, a generating chamber having an outlet and an inlet opening, a water feed cylinder connecting with the inlet opening, an air supply tube leading to the chamber through said water cylinder, a fluid fuel nozzle projecting through said air tube, adjustable means for spraylng fluid fuel discharged from said nozzle, and means for electrically igniting the fluid fuel.

ARTHUR DIX. 

